I dont know why I'm writing this, But it seems that lately alot of people have been talking about needing help on Public Speaking and it seems not alot of people are getting help for it. I also need help to find a good topic, So I decided to write this as I go so I can help others. I think this post would be sticky worthy since it seems public speaking is an upcoming event everywhere during this time of year.

Public Speaking Ideas
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Honestly, I've done public speaking for years, In Grade School I've been lucky that the teacher chose the topic (For which I'll explain later why its great), In high School I always had problems finding good topics and so on.

The reason why I loved it when the teacher chose the subject was because public speaking in front of a school or class is the equivalent of being harrassed and called names. If you choose a topic that not of interest, You can expect rude comments, rude remarks and so on. I gone thru that in school, I always talked about politics and business and the second I said a term that related to those topics in the title, I would expect. "Here we go again, The government. Whats this kid, George Bush" or "Gosh, Not another Business Presentation" or even "Whats with this kid and the Gov-ern-ment, F--K" and last but not least, I would hear this out loud alot of the times "Where only in <Insert Grade>, Not in CEGEP"

Anyhow I'm getting carried away, But my point is that it's not easy when you have to choose a topic. So the best solution is to talk about something related to your age.

If your In grade school, Talk about the latest fads since Grade School Public Speaking is usually "pick what you want", Say the latest game ect, Grade School Public Speaking is way easier than later on.

High School Public Speaking is the worst in my opinion, The torment you have to go throught with the disrespect when you talk about boring things is awful. Why? because you must talk about a social or global issue.

So how do you interest these teens? When I was in High School, I always tought the popular kids where always cool and too good for many (Yes a Stereotype, A mere Urban Legend) But to my suprise one day, I was on the same bus as one of those popular kids and I saw something shocking. They werent those tought kids that you see everyday, The guy actually helped a lady take the baby carriage out of the bus and gave his seat to an elderly person. Normally I would hear him all the time saying how the elderly are annoying, D--ks that shove, push and so on.

What's more shocking was that the popular girls werent the b----y girls you see all the time. They actually cared about animals rights, Defended easy preys from their tough boyfriend who would pick on them at school.

I was shocked, But thats what permitted me to write better speeches later on in high school. Since Sec. 4, I've always talked about Animal Right, The enviroment and how we should protect it.

But this varies by person to person. Someone popular could easily talk about nothing and the response would be Wow, Thats the best.

While a Nerd Type kid like I was has to work his a-- like a dog and still got negative feedbacks because the topic they choose where gibberish to their ears.

My Suggestions
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Anyway as the story goes, The best topics in my opinon is

Social Significant Issues
Animal Rights
Enviromental Protection
Life and Time of a person in the school who past away.
(This is rare, But someone in my school dies in a car related accident on saturday. Yes a popular kid in sec 5 who was drunk and cross the streets at night)
Drugs and Alcohol

Global Significance without the Boring Comment
Third World Countries (Add a bit of pity to the topic and it's a guarantee success) Why? Because youll hear a "Awwww Poor Thing" when you start talking about poverty.

About the Author
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Yes thats right, As you may have already know, I was the geeky type person in school all the time. The honor student with 80 averages and the one who would get picked on by the popular kids.

(To Be Continued Later On)

izcool

I've found out that when reading a paper (or notecards) to a classroom, you look at them rarely and stare at the walls that surround you, and you'll lose your fears of public speaking.

- Mike.

Gieter

izcool wrote:

I've found out that when reading a paper (or notecards) to a classroom, you look at them rarely and stare at the walls that surround you, and you'll lose your fears of public speaking.

- Mike.

I hope that I understood you right, I'm not sure...

What you're saying is totally not done. You're speaking to a public, not to the walls... If you make eyecontact with the public, you'll have better marks. And if you know your text well enough, you won't need any cards, but I agree that they're useful when you're too nerveous. If you know enough of your subject, then there's no need to memorize anything, and you'll be much more confident.

izcool

Gieter wrote:

izcool wrote:

I've found out that when reading a paper (or notecards) to a classroom, you look at them rarely and stare at the walls that surround you, and you'll lose your fears of public speaking.

- Mike.

I hope that I understood you right, I'm not sure...

What you're saying is totally not done. You're speaking to a public, not to the walls... If you make eyecontact with the public, you'll have better marks. And if you know your text well enough, you won't need any cards, but I agree that they're useful when you're too nerveous. If you know enough of your subject, then there's no need to memorize anything, and you'll be much more confident.

Looking at the wall is making it seem like you're focusing at everyone when you're presenting, instead of on one individual person, who might make a funny face at you to make you screw up. That's the point that I was trying to get across.

- Mike.

Hopples

Ive alwas gotten the suggestion to look at people's foreheads or shoulders. Makes it look like your making eye contact but is much easier. Apart from snakes, public speaking is peoples second biggest fear. I think that the main thing is that the teachers, conferences, meetings, etc. make public speaking such a huge thing that the environment that you are speaking in is so heavy. The speaker feels like the slightest thing they do wrong will be a huge mistake, and this gets them flustered. Public speaking is necessary for almost anybody's life, and it also helps with simple communication skills.

-Hoopla

aerialdreams

I absolutely dispise public speaking, and I really didn't think that many people felt this way. It's probably because I go to a "rich kid" high school (while I'm not) and everyone seems so confident. But anyway, thanks to all of you who gave advices!! I'll try to remember them from now on!

paul_indo

One of the "tricks" I use to teach public speaking is to video the student when they think they are ready to give their speech.
When they see what they look like standing in front of people they notice any little habits that are distracting, such as swaying on their feet or fiddling with something in their hand.
It really helps when you see yourself as you are seeing what others will see and you do not even realise at the time that you are doing these things.